1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved distributed data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for identifying problems within a distributed data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for scanning computers within a distributed data processing system for problem determination.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet, also referred to as an xe2x80x9cinternetworkxe2x80x9d, is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from the sending network to the protocols used by the receiving network (with packets if necessary). When capitalized, the term xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of both information and entertainment. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions.
Currently, the most commonly employed method of transferring data over the Internet is to employ the World Wide Web environment, also called simply xe2x80x9cthe Webxe2x80x9d. Other Internet resources exist for transferring information, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Gopher, but have not achieved the popularity of the Web. In the Web environment, servers and clients effect data transaction using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a known protocol for handling the transfer of various data files (e.g., text, still graphic images, audio, motion video, etc.). Information is formatted for presentation to a user by a standard page description language, the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). In addition to basic presentation formatting, HTML allows developers to specify xe2x80x9clinksxe2x80x9d to other Web resources identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A URL is a special syntax identifier defining a communications path to specific information. Each logical block of information accessible to a client, called a xe2x80x9cpagexe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9cWeb pagexe2x80x9d, is identified by a URL. The URL provides a universal, consistent method for finding and accessing this information, not necessarily for the user, but mostly for the user""s Web xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d. A browser is a program capable of submitting a request for information identified by a URL at the client machine. Retrieval of information on the Web is generally accomplished with an HTML-compatible browser that browses web sites. A web site is a group of related HTML documents and associated files, scripts, and databases that is served up by an HTTP server on the World Wide Web. The HTML documents in a web site generally cover one or more related topics and are interconnected through hyperlinks. Most web sites have a home page as their starting point, which frequently functions as a table of contents for the site. Many large organizations, such as corporations, will have one or more HTTP servers dedicated to a single web site. However, an HTTP server can also serve several small web sites, such as those owned by individuals.
The Internet also is widely used to transfer applications to users using browsers. With respect to commerce on the Web, individual consumers and business use the Web to purchase various goods and services. In offering goods and services, some companies offer goods and services solely on the Web while others use the Web to extend their reach.
Users exploring the Web have discovered that the content supported by HTML document format on the Web was too limited. Users desire an ability to access applications and programs, but applications were targeted towards specific types of platforms. As a result, not everyone could access applications or programs. This deficiency has been minimized though the introduction and use of programs known as xe2x80x9cappletsxe2x80x9d, which may be embedded as objects in HTML documents on the Web. Applets are Java programs that may be transparently downloaded into a browser supporting Java along with HTML pages in which they appear. These Java programs are network and platform independent. Applets run the same way regardless of where they originate or what data processing system onto which they are loaded.
Java(trademark) is an object oriented programming language and environment focusing on defining data as objects and the methods that may be applied to those objects. Java provides a mechanism to distribute software and extends the capabilities of a web browser because programmers can write an applet once and the applet can be run on any Java enabled machine on the Web.
With these features on the Internet and especially on the Web, E-commerce activities are becoming more and more important to various companies. Extended enterprises are becoming more common in which an extended enterprise is made up of customers, suppliers, distributors, and other business partners with whom a company conducts online business. With this increased e-commerce activity on distributed data processing systems, such as the Internet, it is important to ensure that web resources are available and to enable applications and information be distributed and maintained across the extended enterprise.
Companies control the resources, systems, networks, and applications within their own enterprises. Business practices, however, have changed. Enterprises are increasing becoming extended enterprises. The advent of the Internet has enabled companies to open their e-commerce xe2x80x9cdoorsxe2x80x9d to allow customer, suppliers, and distributors to share critical information online, in order to more efficiently conduct business with a wider range of partners. As a consequence, conducting business on the Internet means that companies must rely on a myriad of relationships with not only their trading partners, but also upon multiple Internet service providers (ISP) to conduct business transactions. It is important to identify problems with particular servers or web sites located on servers to ensure that e-commerce activities can be conducted without failure or without delays.
Therefore, it would advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for identifying problems on servers and web sites in a distributed data processing system.
A method and apparatus for identifying problems associated with a web site. A scan of a web site is initiated by a plurality of agents, wherein each of the plurality of agents are at a different location in the distributed data processing system. Results of the scan are obtained from the plurality of agents. The results of the scan are analyzed to determine if a problem is associated with the web site.